| 100% | RICARDO | 7 | David —, British economist born in 1772 who authored The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation |
| 32% | BENJONSON | 9 | Author of stage plays The Alchemist and Volpone who died in 1637 |
| 31% | JONSON | 6 | Ben —, author of stage plays The Alchemist and Volpone who died in 1637 |
| 31% | BARACKOBAMA | 11 | Political victor who was Time's Person of the Year in 2008 and 2012: 2 wds. |
| 30% | ORWELL | 6 | George ___, author of "Animal Farm" who served in the Home Guard supporting the British Army |
| 30% | RAE | 3 | John —, 19th-century Scottish explorer who authored the book Narrative of an Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic Sea, in 1846 and 1847 |
| 30% | STEPHENHAWKING | 14 | British scientist who performed groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology and authored "A Brief History of Time": 2 wds. |
| 30% | BLACKBEARD | 10 | British pirate who terrorized the Caribbean and eastern coast of America in the early 1700s |
| 29% | ROY | 3 | British singer Wood who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of ELO |
| 29% | URSULAKLEGUIN | 13 | "The Left Hand of Darkness" author who won a Hugo and a Nebula in the same year, twice: 4 wds. |
| 29% | IANPAISLEY | 10 | Northern Ireland religious and political leader who died in 2014; co-founder of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster |
| 29% | LEWIS | 5 | C.S. ___, author of "The Chronicles of Narnia" who served in the British army during WWI |
| 29% | HAILEY | 6 | Arthur —, Bedfordshire-born author of novels In High Places and The Moneychangers |
| 29% | CARLOSSANTANA | 13 | Grammy and Latin Grammy winner in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame who was born July 20, 1947 (2 wds.) |
| 28% | SEANHUGHES | 10 | Stand-up comedian and actor, author of novels It's What He Would've Wanted and The Detainees, who died in 2017 |
| 28% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | "Beloved" author who received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in 2019: 2 wds. |
| 28% | ELDOCTOROW | 10 | "Ragtime" author who received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in 2013: 3 wds. |
| 28% | STEPHENKING | 11 | Author born 9/21/1947 who penned the starts of 17-, 24-, 38- and 52-Across |
| 28% | LADYGAGA | 8 | Singer of 15-Across, 9-Down, and 22-Down who will appear in the 2018 remake of "A Star Is Born" (2 wds.) |
| 28% | TOLKIEN | 7 | J.R.R. ___, author of "The Lord of the Rings" who served in the British army during WWI |
| 28% | PETERPORTER | 11 | Australia-born poet, author of volumes Max is Missing and Afterburner, who died in 2010 |
| 28% | DYER | 4 | Anson —, Brighton-born animator of the films Oh'phelia and Othello who died in 1962 |
| 27% | AESOP | 5 | Author of "The Lion, the Bear and the Fox" |
| 27% | BENOKRI | 7 | Author of novels The Famished Road and In Arcadia |
| 27% | NEILSIMON | 9 | Author of play and movie Barefoot in the Park |
| 27% | ADLER | 5 | Alfred —, Austrian psychiatrist who authored The Neurotic Character and The Practice and Theory of Individual Psychology |
| 27% | MITCHELL | 8 | David —, author of the novels Ghostwritten and The Bone Clocks |
| 27% | HARE | 4 | David —, author of stage plays Gethsemane and The Vertical Hour |